Electric motor wound spring motor and camera mechanism



NOV. 14, 1951 A. R. BRAuL-r ETAL ELECTRIC MOTOR WOUND SPRING MOTOR AND CAMERA MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 15, 1958 Kwa- G STR @JM WMD s 5m Y wlw@ mM/MW RL T @77W H M v.. B

Nov. 14, 1961 A, R, BRAULT l-:TAL 3,008,371

ELECTRIC MOTOR woUND SPRING Mo'roR AND CAMERA MECHANISM Filed May l5, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 SOLENOID 'flE-.E 2 6 /6/ RF1 L PH L /NDBERG Z 5,249@ www HTTORNEYS sill Nov. 14, 1961 A. R. BRAULT ETAL ELECTRIC MOTOR WOUND SPRING MOTOR AND CAMERA MECHANISM Filed May l5, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 11 /f5 INVEN l0152s HND/fee' R. ERIM/1 7- RFILPH L/NDBERG 96 HTTORNEYS United States Patent C 3 008,371 ELECTRIC MOTOR WGUND SPRIIING MOTR AND CAMERA MECHANISM Andre R. Brault, Merrick, and Ralph Lindberg, Melba,

N.Y., assignors to OPTOmeehanisms, ine., Mineola,

N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 13, 1958, Ser. No. 734,942 V25 Claims. (Cl. 88-18) The invention relates to a camera mechanism having general application but is particularly suited for photographing the screen of a cathode ray tube on which a radar picture appears. A camera for this purpose must be very high speed and the camera 4to be described herein is an improvement on the construction described and illustrated in our application Serial Number 598,786, filed July 19, 1955. This camera is one which uses a spring motor to drive `the shutter and the film transport mechanism which moves the short length of exposed film from exposure position and hence moves an unexposed portion of the ilm to exposure position. The spring motor is rewound by an electric motor which latter also feeds the unexposed film into a loop on one side of exposure position and takes up the loop of exposed film on the other side during the rewinding of the spring motor by the electric motor. The construction herein reduces the number of idler gears and further simplifies and improves the construction of the earlier application as Well as substantially reducing the inertia of the parts driven by the spring motor.

It is an object of the invention to construct a high speed camera which is driven by a spring motor which has a minimum of inertia and substantially reduces the inertia of the driven mechanism of the earlier construction.

Another object of the invention is to construct a high speed camera in which the locking mechanism is a pivoted shoulder with the shoulder being extremely close to its center of rotation or oscillation.

Another object is to drive the Geneva wheel for the film transport directly from the driven shaft or arbor.

Another object is to construct a simplified release mechanism for the locking mechanism which locks the spring motor against rotation.

Another object is to construct an improved switch operating mechanism for the electric motor circuit.

Other objects will -be more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof in which:

FIG. l is a side elevation of the camera;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom View taken on line 3 3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view of the Geneva mechanism taken on line 4 4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the locking mechanism and the release mechanism;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged View of the locking and release mechanism taken on yline 6 6 of FIG. 5 showing its relation with the locking disk;

FIG. 7 is a view of the release mech-anism and the locking mechanism in locked position and the former being solenoid operated;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 with the release mechanism in the first or priming step of its release operation of the locking mechanism;

FIG. 9 is a View similar to FIG. 8 showing the second step in the release of the locking mechanism;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the switch resetting mechanism;

FIG. 1l is an enlarged view of the switch resetting 3,608,371 Patented Nov. 14, i951 mechanism and the switch operator taken on line i1 11 of FIG. 10; and

FIG. l2 is a diagramatic View of the switch circuit.

The camera includes a frame 2li which preferably comprises all of the frame elements secured together making up the entire frame. On this frame is mounted an electric motor Z1 which is connected with one end of the spring motor through driving mechanism to wind the spring motor. The driving mechanism includes a pinion 22 on the electric motor shaft which meshes with a gear 23. This gear is connected to a shaft 24 through a safety or overload clutch 25 of any suitable kind. The shaft Z4 carries a pinion 26 which meshes with a gear 27 which gear is secured on a main or driving shaft 2S. As will appear the spring motor is rewound by the electric motor through the driving mechanism including the main sht 2S.

Film feed mechanism is provided to feed and take-up film as described in the earlier application directly from the electric motor. When the electric motor is rewinding the spring motor, the film feed mechanism forms a loop of unexposed film on one side of exposure position from a film supply reel and a loop of exposed film is withdrawn or taken up from the exposed or other side and wound up on a take-up reel which reels are also rotated to feed the film loop and to withdraw the film loop by direct connection with the electric motor. This film feed mechanism includes a gear 31 carried on a shaft 32 journaled in the frame which gear meshes with a pinion 33 carried on a shaft 37 journaled in the frame which shaft also carries a second pinion 34 which meshes with a film feed gear 35 carried on a shaft 38. This gear meshes with a driven gear 36 which forms part of a film feed mechanism. This film feed gear and hence the film feed mechanism is directly connected with the electric motor so that it and not the spring motor drives the film feed mechanism. This removes the mass and inertia of these parts from the spring motor.

The main or driving shaft 28 is secured to a spring motor housing including an end plate 39 and a cover 4t) to which housing one end of the spring motor 41 is secured in any suitable manner such as by the securing means 42. The spring motor shown is a coil spring 41 and its inner end is secured in any suitable manner to an arbor or driven shaft 43 lthrough which the main or driving shaft 28 projects. The housing 40 is rotatable freely on this driven shaft. A shutter is connected with the driven shaft through a worm 44 on the driven shaft and this worm meshes with a worm wheel 45 carried on a shutter shaft 46 which shaft carries a shutter 47. When the spring motor unwinds and drives the driven shaft 43 through one revolution, the shutter is rotated on exposure. The shutter has an aperture which passes through the light path between a camera lens and the exposure position for the film.

Film transport mechanism is also driven by the driven shaft 43 and hence by the spring motor which includes a Geneva (FIG. 4) comprising a driving pin 50 carried by a disk 51 which is secured to the driven shaft such as by a key 52. This pin engages in a slot 53 of the Geneva wheel 54 and with four such slots turns the Geneva wheel through The Geneva wheel is carried on a shaft 55 on which shaft is carried a gear 56 (FIG. 1) and this gear meshes with a lm transport gear 57. This gear transports the film at film exposure position only and therefore transports a short length of film only. In so doing a loop of unexposed film is taken up from the film feed side of exposure position and transported to exposure position and the transport of the film results in a loop of exposed film on the film take-up side of exposure position. The Geneva wheel has the usual arcuate surface 58 between slots which with the flange locks the Geneva wheel against rotation except when the pin 5@ and disk 5l are rotated so that the pin passes through a slot 53. A quarter turn of die Geneva wheel transports the short length of film at exposure position.

`Locking means for the spring motor is provided so 'that it is normally held in wound condition until it is released whereupon the spring motor drives the shutter, the film transport rnec ia Aism and the switch resetting means which is driven by the spring motor. The locking means is shown in HCS. 5 through 9 which includes a lo l" member til in the tornaA oi a disk carried by the driven shaft d3 and shown, as integral therewith. This locling member has main locking shoulder o2 which is engaged by a locking catch e3 and which is rotatable or oscillatable in the trame Z@ on the center lt will be observed therefore that the locking catch is engaged by the locking member or shoulder 62 very close to the center of oscillation of the catch. This reduces the inertia of this part to a minimum and makes it rapid in release action. Carried on the locking catch is a locking plate 65 which has locking shoulder means preferably' comprising a pair of spaced locking shoulders such as a first locking shoulder 6d and a second locking shoulder 67. A coil spring 63 has one end secured in a slot 6? in the of thc locking member and the other end secured to the frame 2li to normally propel the locking catch 63 a counterclocltwise direction as Viewed in PEG. 6. The locking catch also carries a stop 7@ which limits the pivotal movement of the catch in a counterclockwise direction by engaging a shoulder 71 carried `by thc frame 2li and in the opposite direction by engaging a stop pin 72v carried by the frame.

The locking catch 63 and locking plate 65 are held in locking position by locking means including a pawl '74 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 75 carried by the frame. This pawl has a shoulder 76 which engages loclcing shoulder means and particularly the tlrst locking shoulder (zo. The pawl is held in engaged position by a spring 73 set in a hole 72a in the frame. This locking pawl is wider than the locking plate 65 and is tripped or moved out of locking engagement with the shoulder 66 by an ejector 77 which is pivotally carried on a pivot '7 carried by the trarne Ztl. The ejector also operates and as particularly shown carries a secondary locking ps'wl 79 which cooperates with the locking shoulder means or particularly the second locking shoulder il? as will appear. The ejector and. secondary locking pawl carry a pin Sl connected by a rod with the armature of a solenoid A spring S3 having one end anchored to a pin 84 and the other end anchored to pin Si normally retains the parts in the inoperative position of FlG. 7.

in operation a pulse is fed to the solenoid so that the armature rod Si) is pulled to the left as sho-wn in FlG. 7. This pivots the ejector 77 so that it engages the rst locking pawl 74 and removes it from contact with the first locking shoulder 66, At the same time the second locking pawl '79 moves into position to be engaged by the second locking shoulder o7 as shown in FIG. 8. The locking catch '63 and locling pl ate 65 is turned somewhat in this operation by the pressure of the spring motor acting through shoulder 62. and catch 63 so that pawl 79 is engaged by shoulder 67. When the solenoid energizing pulse ceases, the spring 83 restores the ejector and pawl '79 to its initial or release position. Since the locking plate 65 has turned sutliciently so that the pawl 7d engages or rides on the surface S5 of the locking plate as shown in FIG. 9, it cannot engage with its locking shoulder 66. With the second locking pawl 79 withdrawn from con tact with the locking shoulder d'7, the locking plate 65 and catch d3 are released for rotation in a clockwise direction. The tension of the spring motor is substantially' greater than the tension of the coil spring 69 so that the spring motor forces the locking catch to rotate clockwise as viewed in FiG. 6 against the tension of the coil spring 69 and releases the locking member 6l for rotation in a counterclockwise direction. When the shoulder 62 on the locking member no longer engages the locking catch 633, the coil spring 6? returns the catch to locking position whereupon the locking pawl cornes into engagement with the locking shoulder 66 and secures the catch in locking position. When the locking shoulder 6?. on the locking member engages the catch it has made one revolution and is locke ready for a second opera-- tion. A stop abutment 72 is carried by the frame Ztl which may be engaged by the stop '7'3 to prevent over turning of the locking catch o3 and locking plate Switch operating mechanism (FlGS. 3, l() and 1l) is provided to energize the electric motor. The motor is energized by a micro-switch which is operated by a spring switch operator 87 which operator engages a switch button 8S. A second micro-switch is operated by a spring switch operator 9S engaging its switch button 91. Both operators are depressed by a tongue 92 carried by a switch lever Q3 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 9d carried by the frame A spring SiS having one end attached to the lever and the other end anchored to a pin 96 carried by the trarne, normally propels the lever downwardly as vie ed in FIG. l1.

The switch lever is held in the position shown in FIG. ll by a sliding or switch lever catch 98 which is slidable in grooves in auxiliary trarne members 2da. This sliding catch is normally propelled to stop or lever en gaging position by a spring 99 and has a projection ltl which is engaged by a projection lill carried by an operating slider N2. This operating slider is mounted on pins lill which are secured in the auxiliary frame Zla and which pins are received in slots lilli in the slider. A spring m5 normally propels the slider to the left as viewed in FTG. l0. The operating slider carries a finger `which is in a position to be engaged by a pin l'l' carried by a disk secured to the main or driving shaft 28 or may be secured to the gear 27 or both.

The electric circuit is the saine as that shown in Fi URES 9, l0 of our aforesaid application, including the switch of HG. 6. When the spring motor catch is released, the spring motor begins to turn the driven shalt 43. A cam operated by the driven mechanism and shown particularly as carried by the locking member 6l engages a cam roller lli on the switch lever 93 which propels the right hand end of this lever upwardly and this depress-es the lett hand end so that the spring 59 propels the sliding catch t?) into position above the switch lever. The switch operating lever ,3 is therefore locked in switch operated position. With electric motor switch gli closed, the electric motor 2l is energized and turns the driving mechanism whereupon the pin lii' engages the linger litio and propels it to the right as viewed in FlG. l0. This movement pulls the sliding catch 9S to the right so that it is removed from a position above the switch lever 93 and the left hand end as viewed in PEG. ll rises under the influence of the spring 95. The right hand end of the switch lever pivots downwardly which moves the tongue 92 downwardly and closes microswitch 39 and opens motor switch which is connected with and controls energization of the electric motor. l-.hile the switch is closed, the electric motor rotates and it starts to rewind the spring motor even while the latter is driving the driven shaft 43. When the driven shaft 43 has made a partial revolution and before switch 86 opens, a switch (95 shown in FiG. 6 of the aforesaid application) in parallel with switch S6 closes and continues energization or the electric motor for a full revolution of this shaft whereupon the switch opens. The locking member till (Fl-G. 5) has holes H3 located so that the cam may be mounted at the better time or position thereon vfor operation of the switch means.

A pawl MS (HG. 10) pivoted at M7 may be used which engages a stop shoulder lilo carried by the disk ldd in order to assure that there be no reverse unwinding of the spring motor. The back resistance from the spring motor to the electric motor usu-ally is suhicient to prevent back unwinding, however, the pawl assures that this will not take place. A spring 118 propels the pawl into engaging position.

The camera `drive mechanism herein reduces materially the number of parts particularly in the driven mechanism of applicants prior construe ion and hence reduces substantially the inertia resistances which must be overcome by the spning motor in starting to drive this mechanism. Reduction in the number of parts also reduces the cost of manufacture. Furthermore by reducing the mass of the locking catch by application at or adjacent is pivotal anis, additional inertia resistances 'are reduced as Well as more rapid release action.

This invention is presented to ll a need for improvements in an electric motor wound spring motor and camera mechanism. It is understood that various modifications in structure, as well as changes in mode of operation, assembly, and manner it use, may and often do occur to those skilled in the art, especially after benefiting from the teachings of an invention. This disclosure illustnates the preferred means of embodying the invention in useful form.

What is claimed is:

l. A device of the character described comprising a spring motor having ends, an electric motor, driving mechanism connecting the electric motor with one end of the spring motor to wind the latter; driven mechanism connected with the other end of the spring motor including a locking member to lock the driven mechanism and releaseable to permit one revolution of the locking member, and a locking shoulder carried by the locking member; a pivoted locking catch having a pivotal axis, the locking shoulder engaging the locking catch to retain the spring motor inoperative :and engaging the locking catch adjacent its pivotal axis, spring means pivoting the locking catch to locking position, the spring means having a tension substantially less than the wound tension of the spring motor, means locking the locking catch in locking position, means to release the locking means, switch means electrically connected with the electric motor, means operatively connected with the driven mechanism to close the switch means and means operatively connected with the driving mechanism to open the switch means.

2. A `device as in claim l in which the locking means includes a first locking means and a second locking means, the release means having a release movement and a return movement and releasing the lirst locking means and simultaneously setting the second locking means and releasing the second locking means on the return movement.

3. A device as in claim l in which the locking means includes a pair of spaced locking shoulders, engaging one of the locking shoulders, the release means including a pivoted ejector movable to remove the locking pawl from engagement with its locking shoulder, and the pivoted ejector carrying a secondary locking pawl movable into engagement with the other of the pair of locking shoulders upon release of the locking pawl and removable from engagement therewith upon return movement of the ejector- 4. A device 4as in claim 3 in which the secondary locking pawl is initially spaced a short distance from its locking shoulder thereby permitting a short rotation of the locking catch upon release of the locking means.

5. A dev-ice as in claim 3 in which the locking catch has a riding surface engaged by the locking means when released by the ejector.

6. A device -as in claim l including a pivoted switch lever operatively connected with the switch means, means carried by the driven mechanism to pivot the switch lever to operate the switch means, a switch lever catch locking the switch lever in operated position, and means carried by the driving mechanism and operating the switch 6 lever `catch to release the switch lever when the spring motor is rewound.

7. A device as in claim 6 including an operating slider operatively connected with the switch lever catch and having a iinger, and a pin carried by the driving mechanism and engaging the finger to release the switch lever catch when the spring motor is rewound.

8. A device as in claim l in which the means to close the switch means is a cam carried by the locking member.

9. A camera mechanism comprising a spring motor having ends, an electric motor; driving mechanism connecting the electric motor with one end of the spring motor to wind the latter, and including a gear adapted to be connected with lm feed means; driven mechanism connected with the other end of the spring motor including a Geneva mechanism, a gear connected with the Geneva mechanism and adapted to be connected with a iilm transport means, la shutter, a locking member to lock the driven mechanism and releaseable to permit one revolution of the locking member, and a locking shoulder carried -by the locking member; a pivoted locking catch having a pivotal lax-is, the locking shoulder engaging the locking catch to retain the spring motor i11- operative and engaging the locking catch adjacent its pivotal axis, spring means pivoting the locking catch to locking position, the spri-ng means having a tension substantially less than the wound tension of the spring motor, means locking the locking catch in locking position, means to release the locking means, switch means electrically connected with the electric motor, means operatively connected with the driven mechanism to close the switch means and energize the motor to drive the driving mechanism, and means operatively connected with the driving mechanism to open the switch means when the spring motor is wound.

l0. A camera mechanism -as in claim 9 in which the driven mechanism includes a driven shaft, a worm carried by the driven shaft, and a worm gear meshing with the worm and cormected with the shutter.

ll. A camera mechanism as in claim 9 in which the locking means includes a rst locking means and a second locking means, the release means having a release movement and a return movement and releasing the first locking means upon the release movement and simultaneously setting the second locking means and releasing the second locking means on the return movement.

l2. A camera mechanism as in claim 9 in which the locking means includes a pair of spaced locking shoulders carried by the llocking catch, a first locking pawl engaging one of the locking shoulders, the release means including a pivoted ejector movable to remove the locking pawl from engagement with its locking shoulder, and the pivoted ejector carrying a second lock'mg pawl movable into engagement with the other of the pair of locking shoulders upon release of the locking means and removable from engagement therewith upon return movement of the ejector.

13. A camera mechanism as in claim l2 in which the secondary locking pawl is initially spaced a short distance from its locking shoulder thereby permitting a short rotation of the locking catch upon release of the rst locking pawl.

14. A camera mechanism as in claim l2 in which the locking catch has a riding surface engaged by the rst locking pawl when released by the ejector.

l5. A camera mechanism as in claim 9 including a pivoted switch lever operatively connected with the switch means, means carried by the driven mechanism to pivot the switch lever to operate the switch means, a switch lever catch locking the switch lever in operated position, and means carried by the driving mechanism and operating the switch lever catch to release the switch lever When the spring motor is rewound.

16. A camera mechanism as in claim l5 including an operating slider operatively connected with the switch lever catch and having a nger, and a pin carried by the riving mechanism and engaging the linger to release the switch lever catch when the spring motor is rewound.

17. A camera mechanism as in claim 9 in which the means to close the switch means is a cam carried by the locking member.

18. A device of the character described comprising a spring motor having ends, an electric motor, driving mechanism connecting the electric motor with one end of the spring motor to wind the latter; driven mechanism connected with the other end of the spring motor including a locking member t lock the driven mechanism and releasable to permit one revolution of lthe locking member, and a locking shoulder carried by the locking member; a second driven mechanism connected with the driving mechanism and operated by the electric motor; a pivoted locking catch having a pivotal axis, the locking shoulder engaging the locking catch to retain the spring motor inoperative and engaging the locking catch adjacent the pivotal axis, spring means pivoting the locking catch to locking position, the spring means having a tens-ion .substantially less than the Wound tension of the spring motor, means locking the locking catch in locking position, means to release the locking means, switch means electrically connected with the electric motor, means operatively connected with the driven mechanism to close the switch means, and means operatively connected with the driving mechanism to open the switch means.

19. A device as in claim 18 in which the locking means includes a first locking means and a second locking means, the release means having a release movement and a return movement and releasing the rst locking means and simultaneously setting the second locking means and releasing the second locking means on the return movement.

20. A device as in claim 18 in which the locking means includes a pair of spaced locking shoulders, engaging one of the locking shoulders, the release means including a pivoted ejector movable to remove the locking pawl from engagement with its locking shoulder, and the pivoted ejector carrying a secondary locking pawl movable into engagement with the other of the pair of locking shoulders upon release of the locking pawl and removable from engagement therewith upon return movement of the ejector,

21. A device as in claim 20 in which the secondary locking pawl is initially spaced a short distance from its locking shoulder thereby permitting a short rotation of the locking catch upon release of the locking means.

22. A device as in claim 20 in which the locking catch has a riding surface enaged by the locking means when released by the ejector,

23. A device as in claim 18 including a pivoted switch lever operatively connected with the switch means, means carried by the driven mechanism to pivot the switch lever to operate the switch means, a switch lever catch locking the switch lever in operated position, and means carried by the driving mechanism and operating the switch lever catch to release the switch lever when the spring motor is rewound.

24. A device as in claim 23 including an operating slider operatively connected with the switch lever catch and having a iinger, and a pin carried by the driving mechanism and engaging the finger to release the switch lever catch when the spring motor is rewound.

25. A device as in claim 18 in which the means to close the switch means is a cam carried by the locking member.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 929,743 Wooden Aug. 3, 1909 1,311,447 Holst et al. July 29, 1919 2,398,133 Cronholm Apr. 9, 1946 2,441,185 Brown et al. May 11, 1948 2,465,582 Fink Mar. 29, 1949 2,571,795 Tyler et al. Oct. 16, 1951 2,759,561 Bolsey Aug. 21, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,042,990 France lune 10, 1953 

